


Thunderstorm and Lightning

by mariuspondmercy



Category: Les Misérables - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, M/M, in which Courfeyrac and Combeferre are neighbours
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-08-08
Updated: 2015-08-08
Packaged: 2018-04-13 14:54:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,089
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4526370
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mariuspondmercy/pseuds/mariuspondmercy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Combeferre is quite keen on thunderstorms but it turns out his neighbour's cat isn't. Written for Courferre Week.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Thunderstorm and Lightning

When Combeferre heard the first sign of thunder roll in, he smiled to himself. He couldn't help it, thunderstorms were probably his favourite thing in the world. Maybe his second favourite thing, considering the smile his neighbour sometimes threw him over the fence of their semi-shared balcony.

The thunder rolled in closer and closer to Paris, the rumbling in the distance grew louder and more persistent. The first few drops of rain began to fall; a soft pitter-platter on the stoney ground of the balcony. Combeferre grabbed his favourite oversized jumper and waited for the milk to boil - hot chocolate and thunderstorms were an unmistakably perfect combination. Cup in hand, he went out onto the balcony, safely shielded from the rain by a see-through umbrella. With the lights in his small student flat switched off, Combeferre was ready to enjoy the play of lightning in the dark midnight sky.

His favourite game was to try and determine where the next bolt would show up. Usually, he wasn't pretty accurate with his guesses. Today he got three out of seven correct before a particularly bad gust of wind decided to swoop under his umbrella and show to it what the world beyond Combeferre's balcony looked like. Instead of giving up, Combeferre just took off his glasses and enjoyed blurry lightning bolts mixed with the sound of a thousand elephants running in circles up in heaven.

He liked to imagine those things, liked to put images to sounds and sounds to images. Maybe a lightning bolt sounded like a swoosh, maybe it was more the fluttery sound of a hummingbird's wing.

Being a medical student, Combeferre had the fascinating talent of blocking out everything but his own thoughts when he had a few private minutes to spare. That was why it took him a while to realise the voice calling over to him.  
He put on his glasses and stood up, stretching out his limbs, and only then noticed his next-door-neighbour standing on his own side of the fence. He took in the young man, soaking wet, shivering, holding a small bundle of fluff.

  
"I'm sorry to interrupt your thought process..."

"Oh, it's nothing, don't worry," Combeferre smiled at him, "what can I do for you?"

"I... my kitten, I got it today and I had the window slightly open and he's scared of thunderstorms and ran out and somehow the door... we're locked out."

Combeferre laughed a little. "Alright, climb over the fence. I'll take the kitten." He took the ball of fur from his neighbour and waited for him to climb over before he opened his door to let the other man in.

He closed the door behind them and carefully placed the kitten on the sofa before he switched on the lights and wiped his glasses.

"Ah, there we go. I can see again."

"Oh, I see you alright," the other guy grinned.

Combeferre blushed slightly, but it could've also just been a trick of the light. He simply extended his hand. "I'm Combeferre, nice to finally meet you properly."

"Courfeyrac." He shook his hand. "It's nice to finally hear your voice. It's much darker than I imagined it."

"You imagined my voice?" Combeferre cocked a smile as Courfeyrac blushed.

  
"Did not! Well, I might have." He grinned up at him. "You may let go of my hand now. I know, my hands are amazingly soft, I really have a great moisturizer, but it's getting awkward."

Combeferre laughed and let go of his hand. "Okay, locked out, huh? Guess we call the locksmith. Do you want to take a hot shower and have some clothes of mine?"

"If it's no bother."

"Of course not! Bathroom is just there, towels are under the sink. I'll fetch you some clothes. Feel free to use whatever soap or shampoo you want." He smiled at him and handed Courfeyrac a jumper, boxers, and a pair of comfy trousers. "Oh, if it makes you uncomfortable to wear a stranger's underwear: I haven't worn it yet, I only washed it cause I always do that with new clothes."

"Alright, thank you." He awkwardly waved at him and vanished into the bathroom. Fifteen minutes later, he found a now dry Combeferre curled up on the sofa, the kitten huddled up in a towel on his lap.

Courfeyrac smiled softly and joined him on the sofa. "What you looking at?"

  
"Just the sky. It looks so nice." He turned around and smiled at him. "Your kitten fell asleep. Does he have a name yet?"

"His name is Galileo," he proudly announced.

Combeferre smiled at him. "That is an adorable name. How did you choose it?"

  
"Watch and learn." He cleared his throat. "Thunderbolt and lightning, very very frightning me." Courfeyrac looked expectantly at the cat, but apart from a soft purring, nothing was heard.

"I swear, he meowed the first time I did this. And the second time. I swear!"

Laughing, Combeferre shook his head. "Alright, I believe you, I truly do. But he's sleeping now anyway. It's a very nice song for this weather. Do you like thunderstorms?"

Courfeyrac shook his head, damp curls clinging to his forehead. It was mesmerizing, the way one of the curls formed a perfect lock right above his left eyelid.

"No, I'm really afraid of the thunder, if I'm being honest. Outside on the balcony? I wasn't shivering because of the rain. I was terrified. Still am, by the way."

"Why are you scared of it? It does nothing to you, especially not when you're inside. The rain and thunder... so wonderful. The way the droplets form little crowns when they splash on the floor, how the thunder changes when it rolls closer and then finally over your head, the shapes you can see in the lightning bolts. It's amazing, it's such a wonder of nature." He beamed at Courfeyrac, absentmindedly petting the kitten.

"It's loud and deadly."

On cue, loud thunder crashed right over their heads. Courfeyrac gripped Combeferre's arm and sank further into the sofa.

"It might be a bit weird, but... I'm done with finals and you seem like you'd rather not be alone. So, if you want to... I've got ice cream and Netflix. We can build a blanket fort and stay up until the storm is over. How's that sound?"

"I don't want to impose on you but that actually sounds amazing." He looked up at him through his lashes and smiled shyly.

Combeferre knew he was a lost cause from that moment on.


End file.
